


Strings of Hope

by GalacticTwink



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon Rewrite, Canon-Typical Behavior, Canon-Typical Death, Canon-Typical Violence, Don't copy to another site, Fluff, Gay Hinata Hajime, M/M, Mastermind AU, Mastermind Hinata Hajime, Minor ones, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, POV Hinata Hajime
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-29
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-09-25 20:16:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20377486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalacticTwink/pseuds/GalacticTwink
Summary: The will to live is dangerous to have in a killing game.Hajime was ready to despair under the weight of the killing school trip, but he finds a desperate hope to cling to; the bright light staining his hands black as he realizes the only way off the island is to win the game.If he can't control the game, Hajime will have to control the players.  He holds the strings of hope in his hands, but can he wield the despair as well?





	1. Prologue Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ahh, man. This fic has been my brainchild for the longest time, I'm super excited to put it out here! A rewrite of a whole game is work but it's fun work. 
> 
> I wanted all the introductions in this chapter but it was way too long so I split it up into two parts for ease of reading!

Where am I? I feel like I’m floating, but god my head is killing me. It feel like there’s an echo in my brain, reverberating with every throb at my temple. But at least I can feel it, the constant promise that I’m not dead when I can’t feel anything else; like I’m trapped in a limbo, away from myself but still swimming in the physical pain. My echo is getting louder, but I realise now that it isn’t an echo of what I’m thinking. I actually can’t quite make out what it is. I strain for it, focusing on the whisper of a voice that isn’t my own. Clarity washes over me, the world coming crashing in around me and making me aware of so much more pain than just the ache of my head. I’m sore all over, particularly my back. Everything is in the hazed red light of sun shining on my closed eyelids, trying to coax them open with little success. If I lay here long enough, maybe I’ll just die. 

No, that shouldn’t be the solution I go for first. I take a deep breath in through my mouth but it comes through as a gasp, water falling past my lips and down my unsuspecting throat. I cough. I guess that ‘clarity’ that I felt wash over me was not, in fact, just in my head. I’m suddenly aware of water lapping against my body, warm in theory but soaking through my clothes and chilling me when it retreats away. Tiny grains dig into my arm, suggesting that I’m on a beach. But that can’t be right. I’ve never been to a beach in my life, not even on a lakeside. Maybe I’m already dead.

“Hello? Hey, can you hear me?” a soft voice envelops my senses, coming from seemingly nowhere and dulling everything else around me. It’s so quiet, like speaking to a frightened animal. I was already chilled but goosebumps rise on my skin just now, a shiver making its way down my spine. Never have I heard a voice so sincere, so endearing. 

“Are you alright?” I struggle to crack my eyes open, squinting up into the light and blinking. My vision clears, spots disappearing and leaving me to gaze up into an oncoming storm. Beautiful greys and blues swirl above me, pulling a gasp from my lips and stunning me back into silence.

“Hey, there you are.” the silver tongued figure hovering closely over me smiles, pale lips twisting up and eyes softening. He’s absolutely fucking gorgeous. A halo of white surrounds his face, cascading around his sharp features. That decides it, I am dead. There’s no way he isn’t an angel. 

“You..” I choke, my throat dry even after being doused with saltwater. “..an angel?” his laughter is like a hundred bells all ringing in harmony, and when he smiles down at me I feel like I could die for a second time. Another wave of pain floods my skull, reminding me that as much as I wished it was true, I couldn’t be anything but alive and in pain like this. I groan, black spotting my vision and blotting out the concerned face over mine. 

He backs off a little, giving me space I definitely didn’t need and offering me one of his hands; slender fingers reached out in my direction and wrapping around my wrist as I slide our palms together. His hand is cold, tugging me up off the ground and helping me sit up. 

“Can you tell me your name?” his head tilts to the left. 

“Hajime. Hajime Hinata.” the stranger beams in my direction, as if he’d been expecting me to be brain dead or something. 

“I’m Nagito Komaeda, it’s nice to finally meet you Hajime. I don’t think I could’ve stood to just stare at you for any longer.” he laughs, flipping some of his hair from his face. How long was he standing over me before I woke up?

Nagito takes my hand again to shake it firmly, shaking my non dominant arm for a moment or two before releasing me. 

“Do you remember where you are, or how you got here?” where we are… I look around, vision going spotty again when I move my head too quickly and make myself dizzy. We’re on a beach, sitting in the high tide at the shore. It looks like we’re alone, but how we got here? My head hurts just thinking about it. 

“No.. I remember… Hope’s Peak. It was my first day. I went to class, and… that’s about all I’ve got.” I wince at how little that is, hoping that’s alright. I don’t even remember if I hit my head or something, but I must have. The pale boy laughs at my answer, smile reaching his eyes and melting away my concerns about the memory loss. 

“You must’ve been pretty shocked. I know I.. all of us were when it all happened. I don’t blame you for… having a strong reaction.” but what did happen? I try again to remember, still drawing a blank. I remember Hope’s Peak, the wided halls echoing with the sound of my footsteps, and one of the tall oak doors looming over my head. I opened the door and… nothing after that. 

“I’m a little fuzzy too, don’t worry. I’m sure it’ll come back after you relax a little.” his encouraging smile puts me a little more at ease, making this whole situation a bit better. At least I’m not stuck here by myself, or with someone I’m afraid of. “In the meantime, why don’t we go introduce you to everyone else? I saw most of them when we arrived, but I think you were.. Busy.” others? Does that mean I’m here in a place I don’t know, for a reason I don’t remember, _ and _ I passed out cold in front of everyone else here? Great. 

“Yeah, alright.” I nod, pushing my hands down into the wet sand to try and help lift myself up. Nagito takes my elbow, abruptly tugging me up and making me lose my balance. My whole body tilts, falling into Nagito’s arms as he reaches out to grab me. 

“Oh- sorry! Are you alright?” worry floods back into his eyes, hands gripping me tightly to keep me upright. I feel okay, the sudden movement just threw me off for a second. It’s funny to have him dote on me like this, like a worried mother. 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m alright.” I take a step away from Nagito to steady myself on my own, nodding once before taking my own look around for the first time. An island.. It really is beautiful. The golden sand still holds a faint imprint of my body, the gentle tide pulling it back out to uniform slowly. The waves lapping at the shore are serene, impossibly rich blue water stretching out past the beach for as far as I can see. 

Though I’m completely soaked I’m not cold, the sun beating down on me shining through my wet clothes to warm me to my core. In fact, my hair is already partially dry; starting to frizz up at my neck. I can’t say I’ve ever been particularly attracted to places like this, but it is nice. There is one thing that looks a little out of place in the stand, a large camera set up right here on the beach. A small light at the top is blinking, indicating that it’s on and recording. 

“A camera? Is someone spying on us?” the camera turns towards me. 

“I wouldn’t say _ spying _, just looking after us.” Nagito is quick to correct me, looking nervous despite what he said. “Let’s not worry about that right now. You’re feeling better, right?” I think about it. I’m still confused, but physically I do feel better. I’m not dizzy anymore, and things are starting to clear up. I nod, lighting Nagito’s face up. 

“Good! Now we can- oh!” he pales again, bringing a hand up to his face in disdain. “I completely forgot… how could I leave my talent out of my introduction? Please forgive me for making you wait, I’ll introduce myself again.” he extends his hand this time, waiting for me to hesitantly press our palms together. “I’m Nagito Komaeda, the Ultimate Lucky Student.” he shakes my hand with both of his. Luck? Is that really a talent? Nagito’s face drops. “I know what you’re thinking, it’s pretty underwhelming. Next to so many ultimates with worthwhile talents, I’m useless, but that only makes it more of an honour to be here with you all.”

“Aren’t you being a little hard on yourself?”

“Not at all! I don’t mind, if I can do anything to help you ultimates then it’s worth it to me! Speaking of… what’s your talent Hajime?” his whole face lights up, lips parted and eyes trained on my lips to hang onto every word I say. But.. my talent? 

“I’m..” I draw a blank. It’s so important, the reason I got into Hope’s Peak, my ultimate talent- I don’t know what it is. “..not sure?” Nagito’s head dips, confusion flashing briefly across his face. 

“Man, you must’ve hit your head pretty hard.” he laughs, “Don’t worry, you’ll remember. You’re probably still shaken up.” Nagito pats my shoulder, letting his hand linger there until I jump; knocking off the gentle touch when a sudden noise pulls me from the moment. 

My pocket rumbles, chiming for my attention. My cell phone? I fish the sleek device from my jeans, definitely too wide and high tech to be anything I’d buy for myself. The screen lights up, brighter than the sun above me, displaying an odd looking diamond. 

"What's-"

“Da, da, da, daa! Usami appears!" with a flourish, a stuffed toy pops out of nowhere, sending me clambering backwards. “Congratulations! You just collected a hope fragment, your first step to a long and beautiful friendship!" I stare down at the plush toy. Without daring to take my eyes off it, I lean in closer to Nagito, whispering harshly to him. 

"Do you see it too?" he laughs, patting my back and leaving his hand to rest there. 

"Don't worry Hajime, that's just Usami. She brought all of us on the school trip. She's real, and harmless." this isn’t like any school trip I’ve been on before. “And that,” Nagito taps the side of the tablet still in my hand, “is your student handbook.” an electronic handbook? Hope’s Peak really is fancy, to have something like this and for it to work out in the middle of nowhere. Though, I’m not sure soaking it in water was a good idea on my part. 

“Not to fear! Nothing can break your e-handbooks! Your learning shouldn’t be halted by a little water!” the stuffed rabbit speaks up enthusiastically, beaded eyes gleaming up at me. “Your student handbook has everything you need for a happy and productive school trip! It even records Hope Fragments as you collect them!”

“Hope fragments?”

“You’ll earn a Hope Fragment every time you become better friends with someone! The school trip will be over when everyone has all their fragments- and we’re all the best of friends! So please do your best to have a safe and fun trip!” she disappears as quickly as she got here, leaving me more confused after her explanation. I look down at my handbook, water still smeared across the screen but not distorting my name as it appears. It looks simple enough, but I’m having a hard time doing anything with Nagito peering over my shoulder. I select the map, a complicated looking overlay filling the display. I’ll never be able to find anything. 

“Do you want me to show you around Hajime? I met everyone when we arrived.” right, the rest of the class. If we can still be a class so far from a real school. I nod, turning the tablet in my hands one more time before sliding it back into my pocket. There’s not enough time to unpack all that right now, I can deal with it later. “Come on, let’s go.”

Following Nagito away from the water, the beach lets out to a path surrounded by lush grass and plant life. Gravel crunches under my feet, stretching out ahead and behind me and cutting through the landscape cleanly. A bridge just up the road catches my eye, huge wooden columns reaching up towards the sky on either side of the equally as grand looking structure. 

Nagito follows behind me, letting me approach the bridge and gauge its steadiness before venturing out onto it. It looks new, stretching out a ways over open sea water and connecting to what looks like a new island all together. More gates section off what must be the way to more islands, all firmly shut save for the one that brought me here. 

The only place I can get into is a sprawling field of green, spotted with flowers and perfectly groomed shrubs. The gravel path blends into a brick walkway, circling around a massive bronze statue. I take my eyes off the ground in front of me, gaze drifting up to take in the centerpiece of the little park. The figure of a knight towers over the rest of the piece, raising a trident towards the sky as they ride their horse into battle. A falcon perches on their shoulder, wings spread. My eyes follow the intricate scales on the snake wrapped around the base, over to the fearsome looking tiger ready to pounce onto-

I run into someone, tumbling and falling into whoever I collided with, their ballance staying firm. I look up, green eyes casting a glare down towards me; shoving me away with as much force as she can. 

“Hey! Watch where you’re going!”

“Oh, sorry-” 

“Aren’t you the guy who passed out when the walls dropped?” “Uh-” “You totally are, don’t try to say no! Sheesh, grow a backbone.” she huffs, dismissing me without even giving me a chance to say anything; turning her head sharply and shutting her eyes entirely. Her bright hair follows the sudden motion, swirling around her chin like a sparking fire. 

“Don’t you think that’s a little harsh. You cried too, Mahiru.” Nagito speaks up for me, a nervous smile pulled onto his face. 

"Well _ I'm _ a girl!" she turns towards Nagito, jabbing him in the chest, "and you're just as bad!" he shuffles back, holding both his hands up in surrender. She snaps her hand back, taking a quick deep breath before turning her eyes back to me. 

"I'm Mahiru. Mahiru Koizumi." she thrusts her hand towards me, waiting expectantly for me to take it. 

"Hajime Hinata." she grips my hand tightly, shaking my whole arm. Her other hand hanging onto her camera strap, the light still blinking at her hip. My handbook chimes from my pocket in time with hers, the pitch slightly off between them. Mahiru drops my hand, sizing me up in front of her again. 

She runs her palm down her skirt, smoothing the green pleats down just above her knee. Her stockings are the same colour, a white stripe separating the garments where they just barely meet. I catch myself staring, looking away before she pummels me for it. 

“Well? Do you need something else?” she rests a hand on her hip, looking up at me with annoyance written across her freckled face. I guess I interrupted her while she was taking pictures. 

“Oh- no. It was nice to meet you.” I dip my head, half bowing to Mahiru before scurrying off. She takes her camera in hand as soon as I go, snapping pictures of the statue I’d been ogling before. 

“That was Mahiru,” Nagito catches up with me, “the ultimate Photographer. She’s not always that mean.” great, that means that she just didn’t like me. I made a bad first impression and I wasn’t even awake. I sink down onto a park bench with a sigh. 

“How many other students are there?” I ask, looking over to Nagito as he sits beside me. 

“Well, not counting us or Mahiru there’s thirteen.” that’s sixteen all together? I bury my face into my hands. One was enough, I can’t handle so many people on such a small island. This 'school trip' is the worst thing that could possibly happen to me.


	2. Chapter 2

I barely get in a breath, loud voices interrupting my breakdown before it can even get started. I drag my head up, looking warily across the park. A body comes flying towards me, skidding to a stop just before slamming into the bench I'm sitting on. 

"Your form is weak! You're leaving yourself open to attack!” a booming voice rocks through the park, a massive figure bolting across the park towards the girl standing right in front of me. I freeze, eyes glued to the hulking guy barreling this way at top speed ready to fight. 

Nagito grabs my arm, pulling me off the bench before I get caught between those two. He sweeps his arm up, lunging towards the girl’s open form. I look away, bracing for impact. But it never comes. I slowly peel away from Nagito, who I grabbed onto in my panic, looking back at the pair. 

The guy towers over what I assume is his sparring partner, his arm still extended to barely tap the girl’s forearm. 

“Damn it!” she stomps her foot against the ground, crossing her arms with a huff as her partner laughs; the great noise rumbling from his chest. It’s a loud, boisterous sound that makes me feel like running. But I can’t tell if it’s adrenaline or fight or flight. The girl turns, messy hair whipping around her face. Her stormy expression lifts when she sees us, bounce returning to her step as she jogs the few steps straight to me. 

“Hey!” she greets me enthusiastically, a wide smile stretching across her face as she waves energetically, “Who’re you?” I extend my hand, clasping hers tightly. 

“I’m Hajime Hinata, it’s good to meet you,” she nearly shakes my arm off, holding my hand tightly enough to make something crack before releasing me. 

“Nice! Aaand who’s your friend here?” she caulks her head over at Nagito who’s face falls. 

“We already met…” 

“Whoops! Sorry, I’m no good with names and I got so many thrown at me today.”

“I’m Nagito Komaeda, please don’t forget it again..” 

“Got it! The name’s Akane Owari, the Ultimate Gymnast! Pleased to meetcha!” she bobs her head as she talks, laughing happily after introducing herself to us. It’s nice to see such an enthusiastic face. Our handbooks chime. So she’s the ultimate gymnast, that explains.. Whatever it was she was doing. I think. Seems a little intense for gymnastics though. 

“Akane is a world renowned athlete, Hajime, but she’s most famous for her wild temperament, and her routines being totally improvised- without any practice or even training. No show is ever the same, and they sometimes switch in the middle if she gets bored.” she moved pretty fast before, I bet her performances are a sight to see. Akane still has a bubbly looking look on her face, the sway of her body making her skirt ruffle and.. Chest bounce just so along with the movement of her shoulders. 

The buttons at the top of her shirt are bursting, even the third one down looking strained. I try to skip over that, eyes flicking back up to the leisurely smile on her lips to avoid looking anywhere I shouldn’t. 

“Ah, ah, I caught you starin’!” she waves a finger at me playfully, “Did you boys get a good eyeful of my feminine curves?” I.. can’t tell if she’s joking. I bite the inside of my cheek. Not sure what to say now. 

“Hey” I haven’t seen your face around yet!” thankfully, Akane’s training partner interrupts us, wedging into our triangle to pat me on the shoulder. “I’m Nekomaru Nidai! The Ultimate Team Manager!” I recoil, hands twitching to try and cover my ears before I stop myself. He yells his self introduction at me, making it hard to actually hear what he said. Ultimate team manager? This guy looks like he could be a whole team on his own. 

“Oh, erm, my name is Hajime Hinata,”

“What kind of effort was that! Your voice is too weak, you’ve gotta speak like you mean it! Let it boil out from your insides!”

“U-um, I’m Hajime Hinata!” I raise my voice a bit, tipping my chin up to try and throw my voice up at him. 

“Not good enough! I know you can do better; again!”

“My name is Hajime Hinata! I’m pleased to meet you!” I raise my hands into fists by my sides, forcing as much of a yell out as I can. He laughs, his shoulders shaking with the power of just that. 

“And I’m Nekomaru Nidai! Never forget it, even if you die!” he looks so intense about a simple introduction, repeating it once more for good measure even louder. 

“Pl, please, you don’t have to keep repeating your name. I’ll remember it..” he laughs again. 

“Alright, I agree to your terms!” everything about this guy is so… much. My ears are still ringing, but even now that he’s finally finished I feel like he’s screaming at me. His presence is huge, I still can’t believe he’s only a manager. I’d hate to see the results of his training. 

“Nekomaru has coached countless national level sports teams, taking total nobody’s all the way to championship over and over again. Rumor says he personally trained a lot of famous athletes all over Japan.” that is remarkable but still.. I’d picture him on the field playing. The chime of our handbooks is the same, going off at the same time. I’m not sure how to dismiss myself, standing awkwardly in silence with the others. I fear if I speak up again Nekomaru will ‘coach’ me on it again. He’s aggressive even when he’s quiet, the chain looped around his collar looking less and less like a fashion one by the second; the large links seemingly unconnected to his jacket. 

I muster up the courage to excuse myself, bowing lightly before hurrying away from the scene with Nagito in tow. We wander away from the park to check out the rest of the island, but it seems like we can’t get anywhere else from here; the gates in front of the other bridges locked tightly. We loop around to where we came in and venture back across the bridge, landing back at the beach where I woke up. 

“Where do you want to go now Hajime?” I do have a map, but exploring for myself is more grounding. Relying on my feet to take me somewhere new rather than just following the map that.. Thing gave me. From the beach I just start walking, gravel crackling under my sneakers. I see something in the distance, clearing up as I get closer to the field filled with..

“Airplanes?” I hurry my pace, throwing open the large glass doors into the lobby of the airport. It’s clean and modern, the first real structure I’ve seen since I got here. But my attention is focused solely on the huge planes outside, clearly visible through the glass wall opposite the door. These are just sitting here unguarded, why are we all just-

“I know what you’re thinking man, don’t get your hopes up.” huh? I turn, another student around my height approaching me; wrench in hand. He uses it to scratch his head, ruffling his vibrantly colored hair half hidden beneath a black beanie. “They’re all busted.” he gestures with the wrech, pointing out to the airfield. All of them? “I checked ‘em all myself, none of them are moving an inch, let alone getting off the ground.” I frown. I guess I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up, to have such an obvious way off the island. 

“Oh, and I’m Kazuichi. Ultimate Mechanic.” he grins wickedly, showing me a row of razor sharp teeth. They don’t lookout of place despite what they are, matching his magenta hair and brightly colored jumpsuit perfectly. The only dull color on the guy is his hat, out of place for being plain in comparison to the rest. 

“Hajime,” I offer him my hand but get half a hug instead, our shoulders bumping together and his hand clapping me on the back a few times before he lets go of me. I relax, glad to finally have a casual conversation with someone. 

“Ultimate Mechanic?” my gaze slides back to the planes but he shakes his head before I can speak. 

“Even if I had the parts, those planes are basically just decorations.” decorations? “None of them have engines, I can’t fix what isn’t there, and I sure as hell can’t pull a whole engine out of thin air. I couldn’t even make a radiator with the parts I’ve found around here.” damn, there goes that option. I doubt any of us could’ve piloted the planes anyway.. Maybe another plan is for the better. 

“Don’t you think that’s weird? To have these here when we aren’t allowed to leave, with everything useful already stripped out?” he shrugs. 

“I mean, I guess. I’m not really in a hurry to rush off anyways though, y’know?”

“Huh? Why not! We’ve been trapped here against our will by someone that hasn’t even shown themselves to us!” again, Kazuichi doesn’t look particularly worried. 

“I mean, it’s not like they’re doing anything weird to us. We aren’t being forced into anything dangerous or being threatened.”

“But-”

“The only dangerous thing here is your attitude Hajime, don’t be a pessimist.” Nagito buts in, “This island is a completely safe environment to let hope grow and flourish, you should stop and enjoy it.”

“Yeah! It’s like a vacation!” Kazuichi grins at me again, completely carefree. I guess he is right, I haven’t seen anything threatening here yet. My handbook goes off in my pocket. 

“So? Have you met everyone yet?” He elbows me, moving on. “There’s some real cuties here huh? Anyone you’ve got your eye on?” my face warms, heat blooming on my cheeks. “There totally is, c’mon, spill.” Kazuichi shakes my arm, eyes sparked with excitement. I see what he’s interested in now. 

“Well, I haven’t met everyone yet..” I scratch my neck, looking away. I catch Nagito’s eye, cheeks reddening even more. 

“U-um, excuse me? I’m sorry to interrupt…” I look up, Kazuichi’s hands dropping my arm to look at the meek girl hovering beside us. “I’m so sorry! You were in the middle of something and now I ruined the mood..” she looks down, twisting a strand of her long hair around her finger nervously. 

“Ah, no, it’s alright. Did you need something?” her head whips up, big brown eyes avoiding my own; lip quivering as though she could cry at any moment. 

“We, well I was just wondering if you’re alright.. I saw you fall on the beach.. Are you hurt? Did you hit your head?” she speaks slowly, like she thinks about every word before letting it leave her mouth. 

“No, I’m alright. Thanks for asking though!” I smile down at her, but her expression has already fallen; tears misting in her eyes. 

“Oh! Then I bothered you for nothing… I’m so sorry!” her mousy brown hair falls over her face, bandaged wrapped fingers twisting together in front of her chest. 

“Jeez Hajime, you could’ve at least let her check.” Nagito scolds me, shaking his head at the now crying girl in front of me. 

“Hey, I didn’t-”

“Oh, you’re Hajime? Would it be alright with you if I remembered that?” she tilts her head up again, teary eyes holding in their moisture again. 

“Yeah, I don’t mind if you-”

“I’m, I’m Mikan Tsumiki. I hope with all of my heart that we can be friends.” she bows deeply, hair flipping to fall back into place when she rises; fidgeting while she looks up at me. “Ah! I’m so sorry!” what now? “I have nothing else to say! I’ve memorised over three thousand icebreakers for introductions but I’m just.. So nervous-!” she squirms, picking and pulling at the bandages around her left wrist. That seems like a lot of effort to go through when she just freezes up like this as soon as she gets nervous. 

“Don’t worry,” Nagito finally chimes in, “we can wait. We can wait forever if you need us to.” I sigh, watching Mikan go from nervous to downright panicked. Way to put her on the spot, that’s a lot of pressure for someone who’s already freaking out.

“So..” I look back at Nagito, distracting him from watching her flip her shit. 

“Oh, her? Mikan is the Ultimate Nurse, so make sure you go to her if you get sick or injured so you don’t die!” he doesn’t stop smiling, saying that not just casually but cheerfully. 

“Don’t just say stuff like that, Nagito!” I shove him, sending his shoulder into Mikan’s and only pushing her further into a dizzy as she tries to squeak out another apology. 

We decide to just leave Mikan to sort herself out, waving a quick goodbye to Kazuichi before slipping out of the airport to be on our way. Just down the path another building sits in the scenery, the eccentric exterior breaking up all the greenery of the island. 

I push open the double doors, stepping into the brisk air conditioning and almost shivering. It’s not cold, but I’d started to get used to the tropical atmosphere outside. I rub my arms, looking around to see where they cool so much. Packed shelves surround me, crammed full of everything imaginable. 

A convenience store. Yeah, that makes sense. Snacks line the metal shelves in several isles, leading me down to a stockpile of energy drinks that could fuel a whole college dorm. Among the Rockstars and Monsters, another colorful character is browsing the heart attacks in a can; humming to herself as she shuffles through the different flavors. 

“Looking, looking… woah!” she looks up at us, throwing up her hands in shock, “My stranger detector is off the charts! And it’s telling me.. We haven’t met yet!”

“Oh, um, I’m Hajime Hinata.” she flourishes, a bright smile springing onto her face as she bounces with excitement. 

“Aw yeah, introduction is a-go!” she throws a fist into the air, “Give me an ‘I’! Give me a ‘B’! Give me a ‘U’!” She bounces with each letter, alternating which hand she pumps up into the air enthusiastically. I hope her name isn’t very long.. “Give me a ‘K’! Give me an ‘I’! Give me a ‘Mioda’!” she isn’t going to spell that part out? “What’s that spell? Ibuki Mioda!” she finishes with a jump, giving me a bow as she lands with a loud clip on the linoleum floor. 

“Alright! Now that introductions are a close, take a look at all the rad stuff this market has! They have Rockstars, Monsters, instant noodles, hamburgers, tacos! Chinese, Italian, this place is the envy of Aeon!” I’m not sure about that, but this place does seem to have a lot of stuff in stock. I don’t see a cashier, or even a cash register for that matter. Does that mean we’re just free to take what we want?

“This enthusiastic young lady is the Ultimate Musician. She was the lead guitarist in an all-girl high school band. Their most popular single was number one in Japan for four weeks in a row.” four weeks? That’s pretty impressive. “The band disbanded when she left to pursue a solo career. The reports say it was because of creative differences.”

“Oh, oh, oh! Do I hear a fan?” Ibuki pops her head back in from where she’d wandered off to. The Ultimate Musician’s ears never lie, you want to year some of my new material!” she waves a finger at Nagito. “Well! I have to finish it first. But not to worry, even Rome was built in a day!”

“I’m not sure that’s how the saying goes..” she tells us not to sweat the details and bounds back off into the snacks, leaving me confused. My handbook chimes long after she’s already gone

I look around, finding that this market doesn’t only have food but also blankets, small tools, flashlights, and pretty much any other odds and ends you could ever need. Including a whole hygiene section where they chose to stack condoms right next to the shampoo. 

Among the tools I see a bulky figure browsing the shelves. I approach him but am suddenly overwhelmed by his presence. If I thought Nekomaru was overwhelming… He turns around, pushing up his glasses as he looks down scrutinizingly at me. 

“What?” my mouth goes dry. I’ve never met someone so unapproachable before, it’s like his aura is trying to push me away. 

“Do you have time for a quick introduction Byakuya?” Nagito presses his palms together, trying to appease the guy as he looks at us like ants. 

“An introduction?”

“Go on Hajime.” he pats my shoulder, nodding at Byakuya encouragingly. 

“Ah, hello, my name is Hajime Hinata.” he stares at me. Did he hear me? I fidget, looking away from his icy gaze and twisting my fingers together. 

“Byakuya Togami. There, that’s all you wanted isn’t it? Buzz off.” he dismisses me with a wave of his hand, returning his attention back to what he’d been examining before. That was pretty harsh. Nagito flashes me a consoling smile. 

“That’s Byakuya for you. Don’t take it personally Hajime, he’s always like that.”

“Really?”

“Even on an island full of ultimates that guy is special. He’s in line to inherit his family’s enormous conglomerate and took over all business operations before beginning high school. As the Ultimate Affluent Prodigy, Byuakuya is the textbook definition of ‘exceptional’.” that is extraordinary. Someone like that is exactly who you imagine when you think of Hope’s Peak Academy, an ultimate even among the elite. I’m so small next to him, I can’t even imagine being that powerful. The amount of influence a guy like that has..

“You, Hajime.” I go rigid, stomach dropping just hearing Byakuya address me. “What makes you worthwhile? Why did Hope’s Peak choose you?” I bite my lip. Is my ultimate really all that makes me worthwhile?

“Well,” I push out a nervous laugh, “I-I’m actually not sure..”

“You don’t know?” he demands, glaring down at me. 

“The shock messed with his head pretty badly, he doesn’t remember much of anything.” Nagito touches my back, covering for me. He could’ve just made one up and called me forgetful. Funny, no one else has bothered to ask for my talent up to now. 

“What a pity.” Byakuya waits. “I believe our conversation is over, go pollute the air somewhere else.” he doesn’t need to ask us twice. Nagito and I scurry out of the market back into the humid air outside. I got used to the blasting ac inside, sweat forming on my brow. I don’t know how Nagito is managing in so many layers. 

Next along the road is a huge gate leading off into what looks like a cluster of buildings, all surrounding one huge one. I can only really see roofs but it still seems like a big place. I stop outside, considering it. It looks like an important place, which puts me on edge. I still don’t know who built all this, there’s no telling what I’ll walk into. 

“Do you want to go in Hajime?” Nagito goes ahead, resting his palm against the great door into the complex. I think about it, ultimately shaking my head. I’ll come back later. I’d rather see everything first. He follows my lead, keeping in step with me to tell me about the flowers on the island as we pass them. 

An open gate towers over our heads, the sign swinging from the arch declaring itself ‘Usami Corral’ named after the stuffed rabbit I’d met earlier. It’s a small farm complete with a barn and a stable for animals, though I don’t see many around. Several chickens graze on the grass near the front seemingly allowed to roam wherever they like. 

A girl is knelt in the grass beside them, speaking softly to the small animals. I can’t hear from over here, but she sounds enthusiastic about whatever it is. I creep over, kneeling beside her. The chickens are looking up at her, all five sitting calmly as she mutters under her breath. 

“Oh!” she swings back, looking at me with the same fire in her eyes that she gave the chickens. “Aren’t these creatures cute! We do not have any animals like these in my country!” she clasps her hands together, eyes sparkling like the sea. 

“You don’t have chickens?” she lights up again, repeating my identification of the little guys while she pets one. The animal holds still for her, taking in the cooing and petting without so much as a cluck. I can’t say I blame it either, there’s something about her that I just can’t tear my eyes away from. 

Nagito kneels in the grass beside me, reaching his hand out towards one of the other chickens. It pecks his fingers, clucking and ruffling its feathers as it turns to walk away. I can’t keep myself from laughing, elbowing Nagito in the side. A drop or two of blood slides down his skin, but not enough to make me feel bad for teasing him. 

“Oh, I’m terribly sorry! I’ve forgotten to introduce myself, forgive me for keeping you waiting!” she shuffles to face me, smoothing down her skirt before she looks up at me with sparkling eyes. “I am Sonia Nevermind, an exchange student from Novaselic; a small Kingdom in the countryside of Europe. I may struggle to keep myself out of trouble, but I do hope we can get along!” I lose what she’s saying, caught up in her smooth voice. Cheerful, but it has a firmness that demands my undivided attention on every word. 

“Are you enchanted? I don’t blame you,” Nagito leans closer to me, keeping his voice down to let Sonia continue admiring the chickens. The four she wasn’t paying enough attention to have spread out, grazing and exploring near the other students loitering near the barn. 

“Sonia is the Ultimate Princess, so don’t be shy if you have the urge to throw yourself at her feet; I’m sure she’s used to it.” the ultimate princess? Is that really a talent? She isn’t elected or anything, but I guess there is such a thing as a bad princess so there can be an Ultimate one as well. What happens when she becomes queen?

An ear shattering squeal interrupts my thoughts, bringing my hands springing up to my ears. I can still hear it, rattling through my head and ripping any thoughts from my brain. I squint, searching for the source of the unholy chirping and finding it in the middle of the grassy field; a small animal shrieking as one of the chickens chases it around in circles, beak striking down to try and peck the little thing. That’s all? 

I brave the sound, making my way over to shoo away chicken. The animal it was harassing, which looks to be a hamster, looks unharmed save for some ruffled fur. I kneel to pick the little guy up, scooping him up with both hands. His brown fur is spotted with white, small eyes squinting up at me almost suspiciously. He doesn’t look wild to me.. 

“Halt, Mortal, and unhand The Crimson Steel Elephant immediately- lest you meet your untimely demise at his hands!” I turn, stunned by the sight in front of me. The figure now facing me practically glows, his skin so sickly and pale it’s almost grey in the sun. 

“Oh, is this your hamster?” his hair is distracting me, spun up in an impossible curl that looks like an expertly scooped ice cream cone- complete with the bright white streaks cutting through his otherwise black hair. I can only imagine how hard it is, I can practically feel the gross, crunchy hair gel coating his head. 

“Mega-Z is no ordinary hamster! He is a ferocious demon, even the slightest misstep will spark his deadly wrath.” I look down at the animal in my hands. He’s just big enough to fit comfortably in both my palms, still sitting delicately there. He’s barely moved an inch since I picked him up, but I doubt it’s because of fear. 

Still, I kneel and place the small creature on the ground. It scurries away from me and up the bizarre boy’s leg, climbing to perch on his shoulder with ease. 

“Wise choice… you might be spared. Now, reveal to me your true identity- and let me decide if that courage of us will save your life!” what- this can’t be real. He’s basically wearing a cape for god’s sake, how can he be a real person?

“Uh- I’m Hajime. Hajime Hina-” he cackles before I can finish, the hamster somehow clinging to his coat while he puts on his show. Is this like a really in-depth DnD persona? This guy definitely seems like the one who always plays as a Dragonborn for the drama. 

“Fool… you’re lucky I do not strike you down now! Your courage is reckless, yet I welcome it. For now. Do you wish to know my name, Mortal?” I have a feeling he’s going to tell me no matter what. “You may call me Gundham Tanaka! Remember it well, for it is the name that will one day rule over you all!” he sweeps his arm out with a flourish of his long scarf, three more large hamsters scurrying from out of his clothes to perch along his forearm. This can’t be happening. 

“Now answer me this, to what master do you bow?” he trusts an arm out in front of him, carefully bandaged fingers pointing at me as though he’s winding up some kind of spell. “Speak, lest I strike you down sooner! What tribe have you signed your soul to?” 

“Uh-” I’m not even sure what he’s asking. Nagito nudges me, still standing behind me. 

“He wants to know if you have a pet.”

“A pet? Well I have a dog, but-”

“Ha! A domesticated canine? Pathetic, your Magical Essence caps at a measly six! Trash!” that seems a little harsh. More importantly, why is he still yelling at me? We’re only standing a few feet apart, and my ears are starting to ring with the force of his voice. “Trash like you should feel honoured to speak to one as grand as me! Bow down before the might of Gundam Tanaka, Supreme Overlord of Darkness!” with that he turns his back to me. I stare at the tailcoats of his long jacket, lined with occult symbols and characters that look to be embroidered into the fabric. I’m speechless. Nagito pats me shoulder, turning me back towards him. 

“He’s an odd character alright, don’t worry about him Hajime. Gundham is the Ultimate Breeder,” breeder..? Animals, right? “Apparently he was an amazing president for the animal breeding club. He can tame any animal, and he’s taken dozens of species off the endangered list.” that is impressive. “They say he can speak to animals, but that’s probably just a rumor.” what a weird guy. But I guess Ultimates can be as strange as we like, no one would dare get in our way. Hope’s Peak graduates are virtually untouchable. 

I feel like I’ve seen everything this farm has to offer. There’s one more person, then I can leave and find something more interesting. 

“It’s Magical Girl Usami!” the stuffed mascot peeks out of a hiding place, jumping into the air to make her entrance. “Are you enjoying the farm? These animals were raised here with lots of love and I expect you to treat them just as well!” the girl I haven’t been introduced to scoffs, getting up off the ground to glare down at the toy. That look doesn’t suit her face, cracking her cute exterior to let through a beam of malice. 

“As if! How could we enjoy your stupid farm when there’s only one kind of animal!” Usami’s face drops. I almost feel bad, she sounded so enthusiastic about the chickens. She looks around at the animals, lifting her head again. 

“You’re right! This farm needs more animals. And I’ll make a new one for you right now! Then you’ll all be able to believe in me!” she gears up the little wand she carries around, singling out one of the chickens and waving the stick towards it. 

“Bibidibibido bobidibobidi!” she shouts, pink crackling from the wand and bathing my vision. When the bright cloud clears… 

“A cow!” we stand stunned. It’s definitely a cow, standing where the chicken had been before. What.. just happened? We stand in stunned silence, letting Usami pose proudly in front of her small audience. 

“Why did you make a cow! It’s not cute at all.” the plush’s confidence falls immediately. She stammers, fleeing under the judgemental gaze of the little girl. Is she really a high school student? She’s shorter than me, even with the large pigtails that bob with the sway of her head, but her kimono looks expensive and expertly tied around her waist. She’s cute. The orange floral pattern compliments her bright hair. 

“Hm? Do you need something?” she caught me staring, tilting her head. 

“Oh- I was just thinking, I haven’t introduced myself to you yet.” a smile, her expression changing to mirror mine brightly. 

“Oh! I’m Hiyoko Saionji!” she clasps her hands together, bouncing on her wooden sandals. Is this the same girl from before? I make a mental note to never piss her off. 

“My name is Hajime Hinata.” I bow my head, folding my hands and dipping my shoulders out of habit. I almost have to lean down to look her in the face anyway, but somehow I feel like she wouldn’t appreciate that very much.

“Is that all? I have more important things to do than talk to a nobody like you.” she turns on her heel to walk away from me, kimono sleeves dragging on the ground behind her. Jeez. 

“Hiyoko is known as the Ultimate Traditional Dancer. There’s a lot on her shoulders as the face of the art and she even performs overseas. Her shows attract lots of young viewers which has been a huge boost to the Japanese dance industry, but her fans are mostly men..” my stomach twists a little. She found a niche audience, I guess. I look back at the cow, now being fawned over by Sonia. It seems normal enough, but thinking about it is starting to hurt my head. 

I grab Nagito by the hand and get out of there, pulling him along behind me. I loosen my grip once we’re far enough away, letting his palm nestle against mine more comfortably. I expected him to pull away but he hurries to fall into step next to me, pink dusted across his cheeks. I’m not usually so forward, but it’s nice to have someone around while all this is happening. I’m glad such a chill guy woke me up. 

“So, how do you know so much about everyone here anyway?” 

“Oh, there’s forums all over the internet about Hope’s peak. They don’t detail every student, but all the big names have basically their whole lives plastered all over the net.” I’m suddenly glad Nagito doesn’t know me. That’s such a huge invasion of privacy, I wouldn’t be able to handle being famous like that. 

“I’m sorry I don’t remember you, the only helpful thing I can do and it turns out to be just as useful as I am.. If it makes you feel any better, I wasn’t there either.” a frown pulls down at my lips. The way Nagito’s face fell, the self deprecation even creeping into his voice, makes me feel bad for even bringing any of this up. 

“Hey, you’ve been really helpful. I’m glad to have you around.” I squeeze Nagito’s hand, flashing a smile at him that makes his cheeks flush again. 

“Well- there’s still one place to check out. Ready to go inside?” we stop again in front of the massive gates leading to the last place we can go right now. The sign tells me it’s a hotel, but it looks huge from the outside. Nagito drops my hand to open the door for me, ushering me in whether I’m ready or not.

\-- if I need to --

I step through, expecting something awful. The rest of the island is so nice, and this isn’t an exception. There’s a sort of water feature on either side of me, fountains gurgling peacefully around the floating path connecting to small cabins set up in neat rows. I don’t see much use in looking at those. 

The stone path leads into the open courtyard, a large pool in the middle. I’ll admit it looks inviting as hell, but this is so close to the beach; why would the hotel need such a big pool? I kneel next to the water and skim my hand through it. It’s just as cool and inviting as I hoped. I can’t swim now though, I have more exploring to do. Plus, I don’t have a swimsuit. Or Nagito. I look around behind me, but it looks like my guide wandered off. There’s people around the other side of the pool speaking quietly amongst themselves, voices carrying as I come closer. 

"-feeling about this."

"Young Master we can just call-" 

"Bullshit, these are honest to god fucking civilians! They'll-" the shorter of the two must've heard me, whipping around to face me. Oh no, he's cute. The glare in his eyes doesn't deter that thought, looking out of place on his baby face. 

"The fuck are you lookin' at?" I recoil, surprised by the harsh outburst from such a cute guy. 

"Uh-" "Save it, I'm not interested. I don't tolerate any eavesdropping y'know. What did you hear?" 

"Nothing! I, I just came over to introduce myself." I try to sound sure of myself, holding still while he looks me up and down again. Finally, he flashes me a wicked smile. 

“Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu.” my blood runs cold. His grin tells me that I went pale, swallowing thickly. Looking at him again, I can see the hint of a tattoo just creeping up his neck, and another peeking out of his sleeve. "Heard of me?" he looks almost playful, enjoying to see me afraid but not managing to push out any malice. But that name… 

Fuyuhiko looks up at the girl beside him, nodding towards me. That's not the 'kill him now' signal is it? 

"Peko Pekoyama." she stands over me, eerily red eyes glaring sternly down at me. If looks could kill.. She doesn't have anything else to say to me, glowering down at me until I look away first. I'm not going to mess with a girl who already has a hand on her sword. Is that really allowed? No matter where we are, that's dangerous. 

"It's bamboo." I relax a little. It's a practice sword, that's okay. "I wouldn't need a sword to take care of you." my eyes go wide. I take a slow step back, glancing behind me to see where I could hide in a hurry. 

"Cool it, you're scaring him." Fuyuhiko waves her off, glare turning into huff of protest. He fills the gap between us again, the heel of his shoe tapping lightly on the stone. Is he.. wearing heels? I'd end up dead if I asked. "Well?" well? Oh. 

"I'm Hajime Hinata, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Damn right it is. Hinata.. I'll remember that." is that really a good thing? He thrusts his hand out towards me, my palms sweating just looking at his. My skin crawls, fingers twitching on their way over to take his hand. It's smaller than mine, his palm fitting in mine snugly enough to almost disappear. He doesn't shake my hand, gripping it firmly for a few moments before releasing me; turning away from me. I guess I can go now. 

I scurry away, turning to find Nagito watching us near the entrance of the bigger hotel building. He laughs, letting me know how much I looked like I was going to puke on our way inside. There isn't much in the hotel; some fake plants, an unmanned desk, a few couches, and a couple tabletop arcade games. A girl is absorbed in some of them, eyes never leaving the screen as she introduces herself. 

We leave Chiaki be, peeking upstairs at the dining room. It's pretty big, but not overly remarkable. The only person there doesn't bother to squeeze his name in through all the pickup lines he throws at me until I all but run out of the room. Nagito and I retreat back to the lobby, barely sinking down into one of the stiff couches before I loud ding rings through the room. 

One of the screens flickers to life, Usami's face pressed close near the camera- filling the entirety of the screen. Her peppy voice crackles in the speakers, a low whine infiltrating the audio and splitting my ears. She's unbearably loud, shouting at us through the monitor. 

"Everyone! Please gather at the beach at your earliest convenience!" Nagito and I share a look, the picture dying with as much of a whimper from the technology as when it started. Usami herself seems so high tech, you'd think the place would be better equipped. I'm not sure about a gathering but.. no, I have to stop being so pessimistic. I looked everywhere and the only dangerous things I found were people- and there's nothing a school could do about that. I nod, leading Nagito back to the beach where I woke up. 

Usami is waiting by herself, fidgeting nervously. Did she think no one would show up? The others filter in slowly, chatting idly until Everyone is accounted for. The mascot looks more confident now, a pile of uniform duffel bags laying in the sand beside her. Have those been there the whole time? 

"Thank you all for coming! Now that we've all started to settle in, the fun can really start!" she stretches her arms out, but there's not much to look at. "Welcome to your Heart-Throbbing School trip! I just know everyone will become good friends in no time! To celebrate all our wonderful new friends, I thought everyone would have fun at a beach party! I even brought swimsuits for everyone! Please take one and change back at your cottages!" A murmur passes through the group, and for a moment no one moves a muscle. Then, Nekomaru speaks up. 

"Hell yeah!" he swipes a duffel bag, more people rallying behind his booming voice and answering with their own cheers of excitement. The stack is halved, most of our group splitting off towards the hotel. Swimming? I'm not sure.. I burn easily in the sun, and I don't really know anyone here that well..

I take count of who's still standing on the beach. Hiyoko is kneeling in the sand, pestering a hermit crab while it tries to scatter away; Chiaki beside her looking ready for a nap in the sun. Fuyuhiko is eyeing the bags almost nervously, flashing me a glare when he catches me looking over at him. I guess a guy like him would be weary of exposing himself in front of other people. I wonder if he has any tattoos...

The last person still here is Byakuya, who still looks suspicious of the whole thing. He's examining one of the monitors, tapping the screen with his nails as if he expects it to do something. Usami is right there, I doubt she would need to make an announcement right now. I don't really want to talk to him, but I don't have many options. I guess I could try Fuyuhiko-

"Hajime, you aren't going to swim?" Nagito comes running down the beach, calling for me as he barrels down the sand. He skids to a stop in front of me, a bright grin on his face even as he struggles to catch his breath. 

I forget how to speak. Nagito's bare skin is creamy and white and looks so soft; his uncovered chest even paler than his face. Without the bulky layers of fabric he looks even smaller, the faintest outline of ribs poking through.

I'm staring but I can't tear my eyes away, following the dip of Nagito's waist to the trunks set low on his hips. A light trail of hair runs along his stomach, even the pale blonde standing out on his milky skin. 

I don't remember how to breathe. What did Nagito ask me again?

"Uh-" before I can muster something up the rest of the class catches up, Kazuichi's arm hooking around my neck as he crashes into me. My stomach jumps to my throat, his bare chest pressing into my side. 

"C'mon man, are you shy or somethin'?" his vibrant hair hangs in my face, veiling my view of him a bit until he smooths his fingers through it. 

His trunks are tight, pulled low enough on his hips to show me a deep V; dark hair just starting to grow along his tummy and peeking out from the elastic of his swimsuit. 

Kazuichi is nicely built, his bicep flexing against my neck as he pulls me in closer against his defined chest. I wish I could hide my blushing face, but the nearest place to bury my head is against Kazuichi's clavicle. 

I wiggle from his grasp to grab a bag, relieved to hurry back up the beach and get away from them. I guess swimming will be fun, the pool looked inviting earlier. I see Gundham on my way, loitering at the edge of the beach. 

"Did you forget something?" he jumps, looking me over quickly. He's wearing black trunks, his long scarf hanging loosely around his neck to cover half the black binder stretched over his chest. 

He hurries past me with a huff without saying anything. I didn't think he'd be the kind of guy who's shy about his body, but he does seem to wear a lot of layers. 

I find the cottage with my portrait plastered on the mailbox. It's not a very good picture of me, zoomed in on my face far enough to turn the image into pixels. It looks like a school photo, though.

I try the door and find that it's unlocked, a key laid out on the table for me to take. A note is tied to the ring with pink ribbon, neat calligraphy that I can barely read letting me know I only get one room key- so don't lose it. Fair enough. I change quickly, pulling on the plain black swim trunks. They're a little short for my taste, but the look okay on me. I leave my clothes piled on the floor along with the bag. I go to grab the key, but I don't exactly have any pockets to keep it in so I go ahead and leave it unlocked. There's nothing to steal. 

I run straight out to the water, splashing into the cool waves and meeting the grinning faces of my classmates. Someone splashes me, starting a water fight that drags everyone else into its ranks. Waves lap at my chest, smacking splashes filling the clear air only outdone by the laughter from all of us. My chest feels light, a smile so wide on my face it almost hurts. This is nice. 

I spray Kazuichi, letting him dive towards me before I toss more water up at him. He lunges, pushing to grab the back of my head. I get in a breath before he dunks me, struggling not to laugh and lose all my air. Twisting, I try to grab Kazuichi's arm to let myself up. His arm goes slack before I touch him, my head bobbing back up to the surface. 

"Hey-" I cut myself short, caught on the rapidly darkening sky above me. The clouds roll in too fast, blotting out the sun in seconds and leaving an eerie light in its wake. What kind of storm is this?

"E-everyone," Usami speaks up, voice trembling, "please get out of the water, quickly! Come over to me!" she sounds frantic, already rounding up anyone on the beach to huddle near her. "It can't be, I brought everyone so far away- Kids, hurry! So I can protec-" a jarring laughter cuts through her words, bouncing through the air and smothering all conversation. It drips with malice, the air freezing around me as I scramble to get out of the rapidly cooling water. I can't find the source of the evil sound, seemingly coming from everywhere at once. It breaks, crackling as the beach's monitor roars to life; the silhouette of the laughter's owner appearing before our eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I glossed over some people I was desperate to get into it
> 
> wc/7504

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on tumblr [here](https://galactictwink.tumblr.com/)! I was unusually nervous about posting this one- maybe it's just excitement though
> 
> wc/2743


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